Views from the Choir Loft

“Articles for Bulletin” • Saint Mary’s in Muskegon

Jeff Ostrowski · April 7, 2025

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Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
- 2025 04 13th • “Introduction to the Series”
- 2025 04 20th • “As in Delirium a Man Talks”
- 2025 04 27th • “Wouldn’t That Be Bizarre?”
- 2025 05 04th • “Neither Tennis Court Nor Supermarket”
- 2025 05 11th • “The Entire Hall Burst Into Uproarious Laughter”
- 2025 05 18th • “Doesn’t the Church Want Us to Understand?”
- 2025 05 25th • “Why Do We Sing in Both?”
- 2025 06 01st • “The Church’s Oldest Latin Eucharistic Hymn”
- 2025 06 08th • “Intriguing Invitation”
- 2025 06 15th • “Hit the sack” doesn’t mean pound a bag.
- 2025 06 22nd • Three Words in a Psalm
- 2025 06 29th • Pope Leo XIV on Polyphony
- 2025 07 20th • “What Luther Said”
- 2025 08 10th • “Pope Leo XIV Has Announced…”
- 2025 08 17th • “Emanations From Penumbras”
- 2025 08 24th • More On That Latin “Gloria”
- 2025 08 31st • “The Worm That Dieth Not”
- 2025 09 07th • “Professor Bouyer’s Regret”
- 2025 09 14th • “Anti Vs. Ultra”
- 2025 09 21st • When they get “spitting” mad
- 2025 10 05th • “Polished Stones for 9 November”
- 2025 10 12th • “A Surprising Irony”

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Simplified” Keyboard Accompaniment (PDF)

I’d much rather hear an organist play a simplified version correctly than listen to wrong notes. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment for hymn #729 in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal. The hymn is “O Jesus Christ, Remember.” I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 1,900 times in a matter of hours—so there seems to be interest in such a project. For the record, this famous text is often married to AURELIA, as it is in the Brébeuf Hymnal. The lyrics come from the pen of Father Edward Caswall (d. 1878), an Oratorian priest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski